Pubdate: Wed, 28 Nov 2007
Source: News-Review, The (Roseburg, OR)
Copyright: 2007 The News-Review
Contact: http://apps.oregonnews.com/forms/lettertoeditor/index.php
Website: http://www.newsreview.info
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2623
Author: John Sowell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

DRUG ABUSE AT THE FOREFRONT OF LOCAL CONCERNS, PANEL TOLD

Last year, Douglas County sheriff's deputies were called to Mercy 
Medical Center after a 10-month-old child was treated after ingesting 
methamphetamine.

The child's mother, who also had two other young children at home, 
told officers she and her boyfriend had consumed meth earlier that 
morning. However, authorities were unable to determine how the baby 
got the illegal drug into its system.

All three children were taken into protective custody. Three months 
later, the mother was re-arrested, again on meth charges, Janet Judd, 
executive director of the Douglas County Methamphetamine Task Force, 
told members of the Governor's Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse at a 
meeting Tuesday in Roseburg.

Five members of the 13-member statewide panel, which currently has 
three vacancies, took part in two days of meetings in Roseburg. The 
group meets 10 times a year in Salem and scheduled visits to two 
counties annually.

The council heard from representatives of 14 different groups during 
the daylong session Tuesday at the Umpqua Valley Arts Center. 
Information presented will be used in a biennial report to Gov. Ted 
Kulongoski. The report examines drug and alcohol abuse problems in 
the state and makes recommendations for improving the situation.

Authorities are starting to see a second generation of meth users 
locally, Judd said, and problems caused by the extremely addictive 
drug are growing. It's increasingly difficult to "get kids out of the 
addiction loop," she said.

Judd called drug use the single greatest preventable health problem 
in Douglas County. Raising public awareness only scratches the 
surface in dealing with the problem, she said.

"In order to make a lasting impact, it will take fundamental changes 
to the system to get people adequate treatment when they want it and 
need it," Judd said. "Like other chronic medical conditions, it's not 
a problem we expect to go away after an initial treatment plans or 
multiple treatment plans. It must be managed appropriately over a lifespan."

The council also heard that southwestern Oregon ranks among the top 3 
percent among areas in the United States for abuse of prescription 
opiate drugs. John Gardin, a psychologist at Roseburg-based ADAPT, 
said prescription opiates are the fastest-growing drugs of abuse in 
the country.

Last year, there were more new people abusing that class of drugs 
than started using marijuana, he said.

ADAPT is taking part in a three-year study being conducted by Harvard 
University on treatment of prescription opiate abusers. Thirty-four 
participants are being monitored locally, and ADAPT is looking for up 
to 20 more.

Several of the people who spoke Tuesday expressed frustration with 
the mixed message society sends teenagers by decrying drug use while 
at the same time condoning the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Douglas County ranks fifth in the state in the number of residents 
with medical marijuana cards issued by the Department of Human 
Services. A total of 1,033 Douglas County residents are registered in 
the program. The four counties at the top of the list, Multnomah, 
Lane, Jackson and Clackamas, have much larger populations than 
Douglas County's 104,675.

Kathe Linden, executive director for Douglas County Communities 
Aligned to Prevent Substance Abuse, which works to prevent substance 
abuse among teenagers and in the workplace, said it was ironic that 
the Alternative Medicine Outreach Program, which prescribes medical 
marijuana for a significant number of its patients, is located near 
Roseburg High School.

"We're telling out kids 'Don't do drugs,' and, yet, across the 
street, drugs are medicine. So that conflicting message to our kids 
really fuels some of the high rates of substance abuse," Linden said.

Linden also told the council how area employers struggle to maintain 
a drug-free workforce.

Bill Hall, a Lincoln County commissioner from Newport who serves on 
the council, said Douglas County faces many of the same issues found 
in other counties. The council continually hears about the inadequacy 
of resources for treatment and prevention of drug and alcohol abuse 
and pushes for higher funding levels.

He said he was impressed by the number of public and private 
nonprofit agencies that work together here to combat problems with 
substance abuse.

"This is one of the stronger communities that I've seen in terms of 
collaboration," Hall said. "There's a lot to be proud of in this county." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake